Many womxn may have missed out on their smear test since the pandemic, but now could be asked to perform your own smear test at home.
The tests are being rolled out to 31,000 womxn aged 25-64 years who are 15 months overdue for a check and live in Barnet, Camden, Islington, Newham and Tower Hamlets where screening appointment attendance is low. The at-home test kits identify the Human Papillomavirus (HP), a virus that can cause cervical cancer.
Research by The Eve Appeal found a third of womxn didn’t go to their cervical screening (smear test) in the last 12 months due to COVID-19. Smear tests are not an exciting event in the diary, but they are an important one. Smear tests check the health of the cervix and are vital in helping to identify and prevent cervical cancer, saving an estimated 5,000 lives each year in the UK.
We know what you are thinking, ‘how will I carry out my own smear test at home?’ Well, the smear test is no different from taking an at-home STD test, and all womxn who are given the test will have access to a video to show them how to carry out the test at home.
Research by the NHS has shown that 99% of women will be able to successfully carry out the swab themselves at home and self-sampling is already available in Denmark and Australia
NHS national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: “This is an important new way to make screening easier for thousands of women. We know there are lots of reasons why women might not attend a screening appointment, including worries about COVID.”
Dr Anita Lim, from King’s College London, who is leading the study, said: “Self-sampling is a game-changer for cervical screening. We know many women aren’t coming forward for screening and almost half of women in some parts of London aren’t up to date with their cervical screening.”
Lim continued: “This simple and convenient swab means it can be done in the privacy and comfort of your own home.”
This could see a significant rise in smear testing of womxn, not only during the pandemic, but beyond. Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust found 35 percent of womxn missed their screening due to embarrassment. Allowing womxn to screen themselves at home could see a significant rise in smear testing and cancer prevention.
Are at home smear tests a good idea? Let us know what you think in the comments.